Diversity and transformation of print media Media freedom and diversity working group Right 2 Know Campaign Presentation for Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications Indaba September 2011

Process point Constitution puts an obligation on the state to facilitate public participation Notice given for Indaba too short to facilitate public participation Invitation to media organisations – how inclusive? Need inclusive process

Right to Know campaign vision “ We seek a country and a world where we all have the right to know – that is to be free to access and to share information. This right is fundamental to any democracy that is open, accountable, participatory and responsive; able to deliver the social, economic and environmental justice we need. On this foundation a society and an international community can be built in which we all live free from want, in equality and in dignity”.

Defining media transformation “Successful transformation will be achieved when the media reflects in its ownership, staffing and product, the society within which it operates, not only in terms of race, but also socio-economic status, gender, religion, sexual orientation, region, language, etc. This is only possible if access is opened – again in ownership, staffing and product – not only to the emerging black elite, but also to grassroots communities of all colours” – Ron Krabill and Mashilo Boloka, 2000

Newspaper concentration Newspaper circulation by owner (MDDA, 2009) AvusaCaxtonIndepende nt Media 24Other Total133,702, ,913, ,151, ,503, ,685,25 1 Percentag e of circulation 14% 21%39%12%

Dangers of media concentration Reduction in the plurality of media outlets and diversity of opinion Homogenisation of media content Prioritisation of views of elites Dominance of commercial interest over the public interest

How to measure excessively high levels of concentration? Number of voices test Diversity points system One groups owns more than 25% of market, OR Market with fewer than 4 voices with a market share of 20% each France – legislation prevents ownership of more than 30% of circulation Need to debate these options

B-BBEE compliance Performance is patchy – good in some areas, weak in others Ownership – 2 of four big groups (Avusa, Media24, Caxton and Independent Newspapers) 100% white owned All groups scored extremely well on enterprise development and socio-economic development Performance on employment equity patchy Management and control scores relatively strong

Editorial content transformation (1) B-BBEE scorecards generic measurement tools – cannot measure content transformation Reinvestment in investigative journalism – capacity – renewed commitment to quality content. These spaces must be recognised and preserved, BUT Centralisation of newsrooms to reduce costs Retrenchment of staff

Editorial content transformation (2) Repurposing of content for multiple platforms Increasing reliance on news agency copy Top heavy newsroom structures Migration of papers towards upper LSM's Trends impacting on viewpoint diversity

State of community and small commercial print (1) Renewed energy in sector – re-emergence of grassroots papers, BUT Dark cloud hangs over sector Association for Independent Publishers – 51% drop in membership between (AIP 2010). Shrinking advertising revenues and rising production costs

State of community and small commercial print (2) Inability to compete with big 4, especially Caxton and Media 24 Vertical and horizontal integration gives them competitive advantage, raises barriers to entry for smaller papers Competition authorities should be correct forum to handle these problems, BUT...

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (1) Difficult for small media to stay the course during complaints Costly – groups are generally outlawyered Competition law applies economic criteria – social concerns? Competition law intervenes when abuses of dominance occur – but isn't dominance per se a problem? Media have greater need than other sectors for plurality

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (2) Key question for legislators – how should media ownership be structured to distribute speech opportunities more fairly? How should communicative power be redistributed to further a democratic society Rely on competition law or develop media specific anti-concentration law? Diversity measurement tool

Competition law and media diversity – discussion points (2) Key question for legislators – how should media ownership be structured to distribute speech opportunities more fairly? How should communicative power be redistributed to further a democratic society Rely on competition law or develop media specific anti-concentration law? Diversity measurement tool

Discussion points emerging from ANC media policy ANC policy on paper promotes diversity Establishment of MDDA, BUT MDDA remains underfunded Problem of policy focussing on subsidy as the main method of achieving diversity, while leaving basic market structure intact Transformation must be broader than B-BBEE Few spaces for noncommercia media and voices of working class, unemployed, women, etc. New thinking and action needed on media diversity